2G case: AIIMS team checks Dayalu Ammal's health

A four-member team of medical experts from New Delhi's AIIMS carried out a check on Dayalu Ammal, the wife of DMK president M.Karunanidhi, here Saturday to ascertain whether she is in a good condition to depose before a CBI court in the 2G telecom scam.

A key prosecution witness in the case, Dayalu Ammal, 84, is one of the directors of Kalaignar television. She has sought exemption from appearing and deposing before the trial court on grounds of her old age and ailments.

The medical team arrived at her Gopalapuram residence at around 11.30 am and completed their work by 2 p.m. The team will submit its report to the apex court which earlier this month ordered the director of All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) to set up a medical board to examine her health condition.

The court passed the order on a petition filed by her daughter Selvi seeking an order to exempt her mother from appearing before the trial court as prosecution witness on health grounds.

Selvi's counsel Abhishek Manu Singhvi submitted to the court that Dayalu Ammal had been diagnosed with cognitive and behavioural abnormalities and was suffering from Alzhemier's disease.

The case relates to the receipt of Rs.200 crore by Kalaignar TV Pvt Ltd, in which Dayalu Ammal owns 60 percent stake. The remaining stakes were shared equally by Karunanidhi's daughter (by another wife) Kanimozhi and channel CEO Sharad Kumar.

The Rs.200 crore received by Kalaignar TV is alleged to be a bribe from Dynamix Realty through Kusegaon Fruits and Vegetables Pvt Ltd and Cineyug Films Pvt Ltd, connected to Shahid Usman Balwa of Swan Telecom.

Former telecom minister A. Raja is also an accused in the case.

Though Karunanidhi's wife holds more than a majority stake in Kalaignar TV, the CBI has not termed her as an accused as she was just fulfilling a legal responsibility after delegating day-to-day operations to CEO Kumar.